September 29, 2016

Neil Reviews The Men's Room Katipunan!

Masculinity or the possession of the qualities traditionally associated with men have been changing rapidly lately. So much so, that it was only recently that I found out that it is becoming acceptable for men to have a manicure and pedicure or a mani-pedi. This resulted to a new concern for men who wanted the traditional manly grooming experience at their local barbershops that also wanted to get a foot spa or a pedicure for that matter to get that relaxation that before only women could understand with complete privacy.

The Men's Room at Oracle Hotel Katipunan seeks to solve the concern and we were lucky enough to be invited to check their place out!

New York Industrial District Theme!

The Ambiance

One of the partners of the shop has a background in interior design which resulted in a pristine recreation of a warehouse in the industrial period in New York. Bricks, pipes, hinges and concrete are used sparingly to give off that industrial vibe.

The shop is at the second floor of the Oracle Hotel on the door to your left. Once inside you will find the reception to your right, the secret door to your left and the hidden bathroom at the end of the hallway. After the reception you will be greeted by the barber chairs on the right and the Spa couches on the left.

The attention to detail is immense with almost no upholstery or accent felt out of place. Even the facial and spa instruments felt right at home.

The Cut and Facial

I decided to have the usual Haircut and the unusual facial to experience the traditional and the innovation.

I asked my barber to give me a barber's cut but with a mid fade to see how he can handle the classic barbers with the modern fade, and he did very well. He began by wrapping this disposable collar around my neck which was followed by the folding of my oxford shirt's collar. He then pulled out the apron that protects your clothes from the falling hair around my body. He then preceded with the cut.

The quality is slightly below the fades of Felipe & Sons but most people won't even notice. I was just being nit-picky. After that he moistened my hair and applied their resident pomade and combed it to his design.

The Beautician

The facial was a little different from what I was used to. I frequented 'dermas' a lot in my teenage years because of my pimple breakouts and I would visit the dermatologists every month. It would be great at first because the doctor's would help you relax with facial massages and warm tea but would be followed by an hour of painful pricking and topped with an itchy cream that makes your skin peel. This did not happen.

I was asked to laid down on the couch that transformed into a flat bed where I could lie on. I was asked to relax and then the beautician would then proceed with cleaning my face which was followed by a variety of massages and organic facial creams/ointments. There was no pricking at all!

The tool that extracted my comedones!

The tool used to extract those comedones (black or whtie heads) had a flat surface that vibrates that ejects the comedones while the metal surface is in contact with your face. It was like having a flat spoon on your face. It was gentle but you could feel the slight vibrations. The beautician was kind enough to show me how effective it was by showing me how much comedones were extracted! It was amazing! She ended the session with an organic facial mask that was air dried for 15 minutes.

It was surprisingly relaxing and it made me realise how some men would feel pampered and relaxed by this.

Tools of Trade!

The Price

The haircut starts at a fair Php 200.00 while their facial hair shaving starts at Php 150.00. They have a full body spa that costs Php 600.00 that can be bundled with a Php 300.00 Massage or a Php 450.00 extra ordinary massage. Most of their services average around Php 150.00 to Php 350.00 so their prices are very student friendly as compared to other establishment with similar quality of service and experience.

The Conclusion

Clearly with the prices these cheap for the experience, the Men's room is not just for the hard working men but also for the young students who want to get the best grooming experience may it be traditional or not. I highly recommend this place if you can and tell me what you think!